Shoe sewing machine



April 25, 19 F. ASHWORTH SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 25, 1933. s w 1,905,031

SHOE SEWING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1929 s Shets-Sheet 5 Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE} FRED ASHWORTH, OF HAM, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY GORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY SHOE SEWING MACHINE Application filed February 9, 1929. Serial No. 338,756.

The present invention relates to shoe sewing machines and is intended primarily as an improvement in lockstitch shoe sewing machines of the so-called McKay type which comprise a straight hook needle, a shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend inside of the shoe, and a needle threading whirl located in the horn. Certain features of the invention, however, and particularly those relating to the shuttle are capable of embodimentand use in other types of machinesv 'lhe several features of the invention are herein illustrated as embodied in a lockstitch shoe sewing machine of the McKay type which is intended as an improvement on the machine disclosed in the pending applioation of Bernard T. Leveque for a lockstitch sewing machine, filed February 18, 1927, Serial No. 169,203. In the machine of the Leveque application, at the conclusion of the sewing operation the machine is brought to rest with the needle at the limit of its loop drawing stroke and with the last needle loop still held by the needle. One advantage of stopping the machine at this point in a cycle of operations is that the needle thread, as Well as the shuttle thread, can be readily severed by the operator, the needle loop being in a position which permits the point of a knife to be inserted between the legs of the loop and the work side of the loop to be severed by the knife. A feature of the present invention still further facilitiates the severing of the needle thread at the conclusion of the sewing operation and to this end is embodied in a construction which, as the machine is brought to rest, engages one side of the needle loop and spreads the loop so that after the machine stops the legs of the needle loop are held widely separated and the work side of the loop can be readily severed without any special care on the part of the operator and without any danger of severing the other leg. A short thread end can thus be left projecting from the shoe and a sufiicient length of supply thread projecting from the horn to start the next shoe. In the illustrated embodiment of this feature of the in- Vention 100p p r is Provided which;

during the operation of the machine in sewing a seam, performs the function of anordinary loop spreader in spreading the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle. In the machine of the Leveque application the needle loop is taken directly from the needle by the shuttle. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention not only is the severing of the needle thread at the conclusion of the sewing operation facilitated, but also a location of the shuttle is permitted so that the shuttle beak passes at one side of the needle and the entrance of the shuttle into the needle loop is greatly facilitated. In the machine of the Leveque application, the needle and shuttle are actuated through connections from the main cam shaft which for controlling the operation of the loop.

spreader and causing it to come to rest with the needle as the needle reaches the limit of its stroke, means are provided in the illustrated machine for actuating the loop spreader from the connections through which the needle and shuttle are actuated so that the loop spreader comes to rest simultaneously with the needle and at the point in its movement when the needle loop is most widely distended.

In addition to the features of invention above referred to, the present invention also consists in the devices, combinations, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages ofwhich will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description.

Referring to the drawings, accompanying this application, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a lockstitch shoe sewing machine of the McKay type embodying the several features of the invention; Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the eel raceway for the shuttle; Fig. 3 is a similar View of another portion of the raceway for the shuttle; Fig. 4 is a detail view in side elevation illustrating the mechanism for actuating the loop spreader; Fig. 5 is an end view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4, look.- ing from the right of Fig. 4; 'Fig. 6 is a view in front elevation of the parts illustrated in Fig. 4 and also indicating in cross section a portion of the work, together with the tip of the horn and the needle threading whirl; Fig. 7 is a detail sectional plan view taken on the line 7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a detail front view of the thread holder casing removed from the shuttle; Fig. 9 is a detail sectional plan view of the shuttle and thread holder casing, a portion of the thread holder casing being shown in section on the line 9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a detail View illustrating somewhat diagrammatically the action ofthe whirl in carrying the thread around the needle; and Fig. 11 is a detail sectional plan view illustrating the relative arrangement of the needle and loop spreader.

Except as hereinafter described, the machine illustrated in the drawings is the same in the construction, arrangement and mode of operation of its various parts as the machine disclosed in the application of Bernard T. Leveque hereinbefore referred to. The machine comprises a column 2 in the lower portion of which is mounted an electric motor 4 by which the operating parts of the machine are driven. The main cam shaft or, as it may conveniently be termed, the sewing shaft, is indicated at 6 and is journalled inthe upper portion of the column. The shaft 6 is driven from the motor 4 through a clutch 8, horizontal shafts 10 and 12 in the base of the machine and a vertical shaft 14. The clutch 8 is controlled from a treadle lever 16 by means of which the clutch may be actuated to connect and disconnect the shafts 10 and l2 from the source of power.

The shoe supporting horn is indicated at '18 and is provided'in its tip with a whirl of usual construction whichv is driven through suitable connections from the ver-.

tical shaft 14, these connections being the same as those disclosed in the Leveque application except for the provision of an intermediate bevel gear 20 in the connections between the horizontal shaft 22 and the vertical shaft 24. The provision of this intermediate gear causes the whirl to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the whirl of the machine of the Leveque application for the reasons which will be hereinafter explained.

The straight hook needle 26 and the discoidal shuttle 28 are actuated from the sewing shaft 6 in the same manner as in the machine of the Leveque application. The

connections between the sewing shaft and the needle comprise a crank pin upon the forward end of the sewing shaft, a slotted lever 30 engaged by the pin, a needle actuating lever 32, a latch 34 connecting the slotted lever and the needle actuating'lever, and a link connecting the "needle actuating lever to the needle bar 36. The shuttle is driven from the needle actuating lever 82 through a link which connects a downward extension from the hub of the lever to the upwardly extending arm of the shuttle ac-- tuating gear segment 38. This segment meshes with a pinion 40 mounted upon the shuttle driver shaft 42. With this construction and arrangement of parts the needle and shuttle reach the limits of their movements and reverse their direction of movement simultaneously. Also, by actuating the connecting latch 34 the lever 32 can be disconnected from'the sewing shaft 6 when the needle and shuttle are stationary at the limit of their movements in one direction, whereby these parts can be brought to rest accurately with the needle loop still held in the hook of the needle and free from the shuttle. The latch 34 is actuated from the starting and stopping treadle 16 on stopping the machine in the same manner as in the machine of the Leveque application, the

release of the lever 82 bythe latch 34 taking place at that point in the cycle of operations when the needle reaches the limit of its upward stroke.

The connections from the stopping and starting treadle 16 for actuating the latch 34 comprise a rod 44 connecting the treadle with an arm 46 projecting from a cross shaft 48 mounted in the upper portion of the column. This arm is provided with a lug 50 projecting laterally beneath a rearward extension of an arm 52 loosely mounted on the shaft 48 and connected at its forward end by a link 54 to a rock shaft upon the forward end of which the upwardly extending slotted arm 56 of the work feed ing mechanism is secured. A heavy coiled spring surrounds the shaft 48 and tends to turn it in a clockwise direction. While the machine is running with the treadle 16 depressed the lug 50 is out of engagement with the arm 52. Upon the release of the treadle, however, the arm 46 swings upwardly so that the lug 50 engages the rearward extension of the arm 52 and thereafter the coiled spring acting through the arm 46 turns the arm 52 yieldingly' in a clockwise direction and through the connections to the upwardly extending arm 56 moves the arm in a direction to disengage the latch 34 from the lever 32, all, as fully explained in the Leveque application.

The loop spreader which embodies that feature of the present invention relating to the spreading of the needle loop so as to (Ill permit the work: side of the needle loop to be readily severed after the 'machine stops is indicated at 58 and consistsofa suitably bent arm'or 'finger securedto the forward end of a: ca'rrierbarfiO.v This loop spreader in addition to spreading the 'loop to'facllitate the cutting of the work side of the loop side'of the needle loop and separate it from thegother'si'deof the loop'the carrier bar 60 is supported by two parallel motion links 62 pivotally mounted at their inner ends upon a bracket fi tflforming that por tion of the machine frame in which the shut tle" driver shaft 42 is; mounted. The a1 r'angement of the carrier bar BO-and links 62 isv such that as the linksare oscillated a'mo'vement back and forth in substantially a right line is imparted to' the loop spreader. To oscillate the links 62 at the proper times during the stitch forming cycle, a block 66 is'pivotally mounted upon the pivotshaft on the shuttle actuating, gear segn'ient. 38 and is rigidly connected to the gearsegment by means of a bolt 68, and a suitably shaped cam groove is formed in the'block 66 which is engaged by a stud projecting upwardly from substantially the central point of the rear link 62. The loop spreader is thus actuated from the needleactuating lever through theconnections which actuate "the shuttle and consequently the loop spreader is actuated in proper timed relation to ftheneedle and shuttle and its [movement isstopped simultaneously with the movements of the needle and shuttle;- As clearly indicated in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, the loop spreader engages one side ofthe needle loop d'uring'the upward stroke of the needle and is still injengagement with the needle loop 1 when *the parts "come to restion stopping the machine 7 Y with the'needleat the limit of its upward stroke. The supply side of the needle-loop is engaged and deflected by the loop spreader and the work side of the'loop is left in a positionwhere it can bereadily cut by a used in cutting theneedle loop.

ment of oneleg only of the needle loopby the loop spreader, the needle is arranged with its harbor open sidefacingbackwardly'into the machine at an angle to, the'line of feed In the construction shown the needle harbor open side ofthe'needle 'faces at right angles to the line of feedidirectly' towards thenshuttle. This arrangement of other in the-line of feed and separates the legs of the loop so that one legcanxbeehgaged'. by. the loop spreader during its straightline movement across rthe l'ine of feed To cause the supply side ofjtheloop to be engaged by the loop spreader, the whirl is rotated in. a direction to"ca1"ry the thread first to the shuttlesideof the needle,.that is,

as; viewed from above,"the whirl rotates ma 3 clockwise direction 1 I This movement of the .w-hirl in aclockwise direction also results I in facilitating the action of the take-up in pulling the .needle 1 loop" down from the tionwith aineedle havingits barb Ifacing' at an angleto the line of feedfconstitutes' agfeature of an: inventionjforming the rsu'b ,shuttle and the action of the shuttle in pullv ject-mattrof an application. of 'Hopkins filed of even date herewith; Seri'alQ-No, 338,751 upon which PatentNo; 1,839,390 issued January 5,. 1932. r i

As has beenstated, the loop spreader 58 is actuated" during eachzstitch forming cycle f of the machine to spread the loop to receive the beak of the. shuttle; This relieves the 1 shuttle of .the necessity of taking the loop directly from the'needle 'andirenders the loop taking operation more certain and relif able while permitting the shuttle :to be placed entirely to one side of the needle .as'

indicated iin'Fig. 4. To engage andpro'per 1y distend .the loop, the loop spreader is provided with anotch or shoulder 70 as best shown in Figs. :7 and 11, and in orderto ion 7 supportthe workside of thecneedle' loop against the thrustof the shuttle as well as the supply side of theloop,the'loo spreader is extended"outwardlybeyond t eshoulder to form afinger 72 which whenthe loop is'completelyvspread as indicated inFigs'. A

and 7, extends completely across the loop.

The illustrated embodiment of those features of the present, invention relating to the shuttle and the means for suporting the shuttle thread therein comprise a shuttle consisting of a discoidal shuttle casing 74,

therear endof which isclosed" and the forward end'ofwhich is open to' receive a thread holder. The thread-holden' 'as illustrated, consists of a 'cylindrical thread casing 76 the rear end of which is open to permit the insertion ofa cop-of thread while; the holder is removed fromthe-shuttle, and the front end of which, when the thread case is in position in the shuttle-forms .a closurefor the open end of t-hegshuttle casing. From the closed end "of the thread holder-casing a hollow stud-'78 projectsfin? wardly so as to 'form alcentral "support for the inserted thread cop. V'Within this hollow studl78; and tubular p1unger80 1 forms a l central thread passage for'ithe shuttle thread stud a hollow-plunger 8O isiar'r anged which n casing and-while the locking position.

isacted upon'by a coiled: spring 82 tending to forcethe plunger against therear Walliof the. shuttle casing When the threadl holder is.

in position in the shuttle casing. The hollow opening on the forward, end of the thread V holder, casing," the "shuttle thread" leading {from the interior ofthe thread cop between the: end of: the plunger SO and the rear-'wall of; the shuttle casing 'Where' it is subjected;

to sufficient pressure to produce the required tension on the thread and th Passing through the'thread passage formed by'the I hollowplunger and stud-to the outside of the r in the thread case While the case is removed" fromathe shuttle and it will be apparent that i thethreadgiase can be threaded before" being placed in the shuttle "and thatf after the thread case is'pla ced in theshuttle casing. no further threadoaser The cop'of'thread isplaced.

V 'threading of theshuttle vis necessary; J

7 K Ii -[order tolockthe thread ease securely inposition While'per'mitting itsreadyzre moval locking device'slare provided for linterfen'gaging the thread caseand shuttle casingat diametrically opposite sidesof the thread-casing. As illustrated,the inter-engaging loekingldevioes at one side of the casing comprise a flange84l projecting radially rfrom the innerend ofthe thread cas-g V, g' and a slot formed in' the adjacent- Wall of the shuttle'casing to receive theflange; The

7 or the close'dtend ofjthe thread'fcase andzax 7 other interren 'a in lockin devices com; o i a V a b u g I V prise a slide 86 mounted 1n a; guidevvay QX-V tending diametricallyacross the outer face groovef88 formed-in theinner wan of the I shuttle casing to receivethe endof .the'slide;

WVith this.construotiom-vvhenthe slide 86is inv engagement with the groove 88,*as"i1lustip the threadcase slightly so asto-disen-r gage the flange 874 from itscooperatingslot;

In order to 'hold' the locking slide-86 in locki tratcd; in Fig. 7 ,;.the .tlireadcase isheld se curely in position,Whileto-permit-the ready removal of the thread case it is merely-neces-f sary'to move the slide 86 'inwardlyand then ing position a plungeri9 O is mounted in the hollow studkfZS and-is provided With an outwardly extending. end arranged to engage; a

' hole, 92f0r1ned atthe proper point in the "slide 86.1 This plunger is acted uponjbythe thereby foreing the plunger QOodoWnWardly' 185 s o as to disengage the slide 86 allow itfspring 82Which actuates'the plunger and is hollow *ini order, to form a continuation of the passage for "the shuttle thread. 1 The slide'86n1ay be conveniently unlocked by in s e'rtinga suitablyshaped tool in the hole .92

v A; The nature and scope of the inv to bemoved -intounlocking position: side} In the machine moval and replacementof the shuttle when, ever this becomes necessary or desirable. 1 ,As

Wise, exten'sionQ'of-the "hole 92 permits properqthreading 'of thethread case-While; the thread case is removed from the shuttle f locking: slide is in unf illustrated in :the-draW-L" V ing's, a construction" of shuttle s'upporting racewayis providedwhich permits ready. re; f

illustrated, the shuttle racewaynis composed oftxvo parts each, having formed therein a; portion of the guldeway'jfor the-rim of the shuttle. One of these portionsiis indicated at 96 and is shown separately in Fig. .2.;-

ThispOrtion of the raceway is secured by V screws 98- (seerFigspfi and7). to'the endzof the bra oketffii in Whichthe shuttle driver '8. V i

shaft 42 "is mounted 7 ,The 1 other portion: of the shuttle raceway.- is i indicated 7 at Y100 and is shown separatelyijnFig, 3. Theportion;

lOOis provided on its rear -sidewithla guid-f 1ngpr0 ect10n which is rece ved 1n'jcorr e spondi-ng guidevvay in the portion1965the i I guidevvay; being arrangedr horizontally. The

portion 100 of the 'guideway can thus be readily r,emoved{f ?Qm:the portion 96' hen: e U

ever it. is desired .to remove-the shuttle fromf the machine; andQcan-be, again readily relaeed in; exact position. The portionfilQO is securedto thelportion,96'by a clamping bolt 102 as indicated in Fig.7. Av recess 104;

formed in: the portion and: communicate ing with the guideway forthe'flan'ge. on the shuttlelaffords asimple and convenient meansfor lubricating-the shuttle raceway; 1 V The illustrated machine also is provided with a siinple andjefficient means f r discong f means in case the shuttle becomes clogged in its raceway; 1' To this. endjthe ipinion 40eis loosely mounted on the shuttle driver shaft 42 andis providedQwitha .clutchilolock 106 'Which is engaged by a.'eooperating,clutch block 108 splined ontheshai't 42am pressed against the block 1O6 by-m6& f a Sp 110 coiledjaboutgthe rear end o'f theishaft i 42and'interposed betvveen the, block 108 and,

anuti1 12 on the'rear'en dof theshaft. a

May 1', 193 0, Seria1No. 448,909;

v loclrstitchthe combination, with the otherstitch forming,

devices including a straight hook needle, of V a shuttle, a shoe supporting horngarranged,

to'extend;lw'ithin the shoe, needle threading. 1130 i mechanism located within the horn, a loop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, and

' means acting automatically when rendered operative to stop the needle, shuttle and loop spreader with thelast needle loop engaged and spread by the needle and loopspreader with the work side of the loop in position to be readily severed. Y

2. In a lockstitch sewing machine the com-,

bination, with the other stitch forming devices including a straight hook needle, of

- a shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extendwithin the shoe, needle threading mechanism locatedwithin the horn, a loop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, and

means acting automatically when rendered operative to stop the needle, shuttle and loop spreader with the needle at the limit of a loop drawing stroke and with the last needle loop engaged and spread by the needle and loop spreader with the work side of the loop in position to be readily severed.

3. In a lockstitch sewing machine the combination, with the other stitch forming devices including a straight hook needle, of a shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend within the shoe, needle threading mechanism located within the horn, a loop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, and means arranged to be rendered operative at the will of the operator, and acting automatically when rendered operative for stopping at will the needle, shuttle and loop,

spreader with the needle loop engaged and Spread by the needle and loop spreader with thework side of the loop in position to be readily severed,

4. In a lockstitch sewing machine the combination, with the other stitch forming devices including a straight hook needle, of a shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend within the shoe, needle threading.

mechanism located within the horn, a loop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for theentrance of the shuttle, a sewing shaft and suitableconnections for actuating the needle, shuttle and loop spreader, and means for disconnecting the sewing an oscillating disooidal shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend within the shoe, a needle threading mechanism located within the horn, a reciprocatingloop spread:

engaged and er, a sewing shaft and suitable connections inoperative the actuating connections; .;bQ

tweenj thje,shaftt andif lielneedle, shuttle, and h V loop-spreaderwhile the needle, shuttle, and loop spreader'are at the limits of their movements in one direction with the ne'edleloop spreadby the needle and loop spreader.

.Qfon; actuating the ,needle,--'shuttlefiand loop s Spreader arranged tofireverse the movements ofi-iall. jof thr'aseparts .simultaneously,and

means for disconnecting the sewing,- shaft? from its driving: means i and {for-rendering 6. In a lockstitch sewing machine the com;

bination, with the other'stitch formingde- E5 vices including a straight hook needle, of a shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged" to extend withinthe shoe, needle threading mechanism located within the horn, a loop,

spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, said loop spreader being arranged to engage and deflect one leg of the needle loopjand being provided with a portion to support the other leg of the loop against the thrust of th'ei shuttle as the shuttle enters the loop. l v

7. In a l'ockstitch sewing machine the combination, with the other stitch formingdei vices including a straight hook needle ofa shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend within the shoe, needle threading mechanislnlocated within the horn, a loop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, a c'ar--- rier for the. loop spreader, parallel links supporting the carrier, and means for oscil-v lating one of said links.

8. In a lockstitch sewing machine the coinbination, with the other stitch forming de- I vices including a straight hook needle, of a 12 5 shuttle, a shoe supporting horn arranged to extend within the shoe, needleithreading mechanism located within the'horn, aloop spreader to engage and spread the needle loop for the entrance of the shuttle, a shuttle drivingshaft, a pinion on the shaft,'an

oscillating gear segment meshing with the pinion, a sewing shaft and suitable connec-;;

tions for oscillating the gear segment, a carrier for the loop "spreader, parallel links supporting the carrier, and a cam connected to move with the osclllat ng gear segment Y arranged to actuate one of sa d parallel;

links.

9. In a lockstitch sewing machine the com-v bination, with the other stitch forming de-f vices including ashuttle, of a straight hook needle arranged with its barb facing at an angle tothe line of feed on the shuttle side of the needle, a horn arrangedto extend within the shoe, a needle threading-whirl locatedin the horn, means forrotatingthe a whirl in adire'ction to carry the thread first to the shuttle side of the needle, a loop spreadermounted to move in a right line I forflsupportifig and actuating the loop 6 q l i "l ,505,031

v j across the lifne'bfjfeed to'engage-the supply 'lsid'e of the 'needle 100p and'spread-the 100p 'for the entrance of the shuttle, and means 7 fspreader.' j 1 "Inqtestimony whereof "I have signed my 7 'name to this specification. ij FRED ASHWORTH. 

